In The Strangest Places
by scribeninja
Summary: Love finds us in the strangest places, and in the strangest ways. See how love finds Sookie and Eric in this fluffy short story. AH/OOC.
1. Diner Guy

**A/N: **

No, I'm not posting a new story that you'll have to wait for updates on, I promise. The whole thing is done, and I'm posting it all I once. I wrote this a few months ago as a o/s, then broke it down into chapters. It's light, it's fluffy, it's not meant to be taken as some awesome piece of work. Just a turn your brain off and enjoy story. So please do just that!

Thanks to FDM for beta'ing!

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**Chapter One - Diner Guy**

The best day of my life was the day I discovered the Country Cruisin' diner. It was designed to look like an old time 50's malt shop. The waitresses wore blue jeans and t-shirts with the diner name printed on it, and were all as nice as could be. The diner itself was kept very clean, and you felt welcome and at home as soon as you walked in. It was the kind of place my Gran would have loved. Perhaps that was what made me go back day after day.

I owned and operated a used bookstore for a living. My good friend Maria and I ran it. We closed every day for an hour at lunch, and she would go have lunch with her fiancé, Alcide, while I had lunch at the diner by myself. I didn't mind eating alone, and would often read the newspaper, or a book while I waited.

One day I realized that there was a man who always sat in the booth next to mine. It was something I had absorbed, but not really noticed. Not until the day I found him staring at me. My waitress had brought me a refill of coffee, and I looked up from my book to thank her. I'm still not sure what made me look at him, but I happened to glance up at the next booth and all I saw were bright blue eyes staring back at me.

He was beautiful. Well, handsome really, but so heartbreakingly beautiful. His hair was the same color as mine, and it was just long enough to run your fingers through. He had high cheekbones, and perfect lips. The kind of lips that make you think of kissing just from looking at them.

We both seemed to realize we were staring, and I blushed and looked back at my book. I didn't read any more, of course. I couldn't. My heart was beating too fast, and my eyes were still seeing those bright blue eyes, instead of the words on the page in front of me. I resisted the overwhelming urge to glance up and see if he was still looking at me, and thankfully, before I gave in to temptation, the waitress came with my food. I risked a glance then, and found myself disappointed to find that he was completely focused on his own food. It didn't really matter though. I knew there was no way I would be confident enough to talk to him.

He was still there when I left, and as I walked back to the bookstore I wondered what his smile was like. Gran used to say that you could tell a lot about a person from their smile, and I found that to be a good way to measure a person. The last guy that asked me out smiled like it was the most unnatural thing in the world, and he ended up "forgetting" his wallet when he realized he wasn't going to get into my pants that night. It was in his smile, and I should have turned him down.

Maria was helping a customer when I got back, so I started sorting through the donated books drop box until she was through.

"How was your lunch?" I asked her after the customer left.

"It was good. I finally got him to agree with me on the band for the wedding," she laughed.

"So no more 'Wolf Boys' then, I take it?"

"God, no! They were so awful too, you have no idea. We're going with the one I picked. They're much classier."

I smiled at her. Maria had been planning her wedding since she was ten years old. She wanted a big affair. Huge church, five hundred guests, gorgeous white dress, seven bridesmaids, centerpieces … you name it, she wanted it. I was lucky enough to be her maid of honor.

I knew one thing for sure: Alcide sure as hell loved Maria. There was no way a guy would put up with the kind of wedding Maria was planning if he wasn't head over heels.

Me, I didn't want any of that. I wanted to wear Gran's dress, although maybe I'd alter it a bit to make it more "me." I wanted to be married outdoors, in a very small and intimate ceremony—just me, my guy, and our immediate family members. My brother would give me away, and Maria and Alcide would be there, but that's all. If the man that married me had parents and siblings, I would want them there. We could have a reception after for all of our friends and extended family to attend and celebrate, but the ceremony itself didn't need to be a big thing.

"How was your lunch today?" Maria asked.

"Good," I said, then remembered the man in the booth. "Actually, I saw a guy there."

"Anyone I know?"

"I don't know. I don't even know who he is. I think he's there every day at lunch, because he looked familiar, but I caught him staring at me today."

"Really? Is he hot?"

"He's gorgeous, but we didn't talk," I said, shaking my head. "Oh well, maybe he'll be there tomorrow."

"I hope so, and if he is you better come back here with his phone number."

"Maria, come on. Have you ever known me to be capable of getting a guy's number like that?"

"No, but you need to get back out there. Your last date was like three months ago with Wallet Guy, and you haven't gotten laid in almost… what? Ten months? Not since Sam?"

Sam had been my last boyfriend. We called it quits because the relationship just lost its spark. When I found that I thought of him more as a friend than a lover, I talked to him about it and he confessed to the same. We still saw each other from time to time, and while it had been a bit awkward at first it wasn't anymore. The sad fact was that he was the last sex I'd had, and at that point even the sex had lost its luster. Needless to say, I was definitely in need of some good lovin'.

"You know there hasn't been anyone since him. I just haven't found anyone I want to date."

"Do you want to date this diner guy?"

"I don't even know him."

"Do you want to get to know him?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe."

"You do. I know that look. Whatever. If you're too chicken to talk to him, fate will do its thing, you'll see."

I just snorted and picked up the new stack of books to catalog.

"I'll be in the back with these if you need me," I said.

"Okie-dokie, boss!"

Maria was a big believer in fate. She and Alcide met when Maria fell in his lap after her heel broke while climbing bleachers at a local football game. In her mind, it had been fate since she hadn't wanted to go to the game, but did because her horoscope told her to. Then she claimed fate broke her brand new heel at that specific moment, landing her in the lap of her future husband. Yes, she even called him that back then.

Alcide was a big, burly, manly man. He was a construction worker, his wardrobe consisted of plaid and denim, and his face saw a razor maybe twice a year. But when he met Maria, the high maintenance girl who wore heels in the cold of winter and got her nails and hair done regularly, he melted into this teddy bear of a guy. It was sweet to witness actually.

If Maria believed fate would fix me up with diner guy, then I guess I could too. She said all you had to do was take a small risk, and fate would take care of the rest. I wasn't so sure I believed that, but it was worth a try.


	2. Secret Admirer

**Chapter Two - Secret Admirer **

The next day I paid attention to my surroundings, and saw Diner Guy show up about fifteen minutes after me. I was glad I paid attention because I got to see just how tall he was when he walked in. The guy was probably pushing 6' 4". He was also wearing a suit again. I wondered what he did for a living.

When he slid into the booth next to mine, he caught my eye and smiled at me. I blushed and focused on my book. It's not that I was playing coy; I was just that shy.

"Here you go, Sookie," my waitress, Holly, said as she set my plate in front of me.

"Thanks, Holly," I smiled. "This looks fantastic."

"I'll be sure and tell Lafayette. He always loves to hear how you like your meal."

"I'm happy to tell him. He's so great. It's like I'm eating my Gran's food. Makes me want to share family recipes with him."

"Oh he'll love that," she laughed. "You enjoy and just holler if you need something."

Holly was a wonderful waitress, and I sat in her section every day. She was a single mom with a little boy that had leukemia. I always tipped her well, and made sure to put money in the donation jar by the register, for the children's hospital he stayed at while he was sick. I know it wasn't much, but I did what I could.

Once a year Maria and I took our entire stock of children's books to the hospital and held a little book fair for the kids. They each got to pick out a couple of books, and we donated what was left to the hospital. A local theater group also got involved and dressed up as popular children's story characters, and then they would come and read to them. It was great, and the kids really loved it.

As I ate, I totally forgot about Diner Guy, but when Holly came by to refill my coffee I happened to glance over at him, and caught him looking at me. He looked away as soon as I saw him, but I saw the smile on his face. I wasn't entirely sure what to make of that, so I just finished eating and waited for the check.

When Holly brought it I asked her how her son was doing. He was in the hospital, but she said he was responding well to the treatments, and thanked me for asking. She didn't get a lot of support from her family, so I was always sure to ask about him. Sometimes a person just needed to talk.

I used the restroom before heading to the register to pay my tab, but when I got there the girl told me it was already taken care of.

"How?" I asked.

"The person who paid it asked me not to tell you their identity," she said with a smile.

I looked around, suddenly feeling quite paranoid. Who on earth would want to pay for my lunch? For a moment I thought it might have been Holly, but I knew she couldn't afford to buy someone's lunch. Every penny mattered to her. I spotted the handsome guy in the booth next to mine, but he looked totally nonchalant. He was eating and reading a newspaper, totally unaware that I was even looking at him.

"Well I wish I could thank them personally, but will you do that for me?" I asked the girl.

"Sure will," she said enthusiastically.

I felt bad for not paying for my lunch, so I added the money for the bill to the normal five dollars I put in the donation jar for the hospital. I figured that would balance out any karma issues.

"Something strange happened at lunch today," I told Maria when I got back to the store.

"Like what?" she asked.

"Someone took care of my bill."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah, I went to the bathroom before I paid, and when I came out the girl at the register told me someone took care of it, but didn't want their identity revealed."

"Sounds like Sookie Stackhouse has a secret admirer," Maria teased in a singsong voice.

"Oh come on, I don't even know if it was a man or a woman."

"I'll bet it was the gorgeous Diner Guy!"

"Why in the world would he pay for my lunch? We've never even spoken."

"I don't know. Maybe he believes in love at first sight and is in love with you," she said, smiling brightly. Maria was a love junkie.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, enough. How was Alcide?"

That was all it took. In a matter of seconds she was off on some tangent about not being able to locate the right shade of pink for the flowers, and I tuned out. I was thinking about diner guy's smile. I'd only caught it from the side, but I had been able to see laugh lines, and that was almost enough for me.

The next afternoon he was there before me, and already had his food when I sat down. I didn't have to catch him staring that time, because he caught me. When he did, he smiled at me, full on, a beautiful, natural, genuine smile. I knew then and there that if Gran had met him she'd have called him a beautiful soul. He passed my character test—that was for sure. All I needed was the courage to talk to him someday.

When he got up to leave that day, I glanced at his left hand, and was pleased to find it ring-less.

"Handsome, isn't he?" Holly asked when she brought me my food.

"Very," I agreed, blushing. "Does he eat here every day?"

"Yup. Lunch every day, same as you. I'm surprised it's taken you two this long to notice each other," she said with a knowing smile. "Enjoy, sweetie."

"Thanks," I said as she walked off.

When I went up to pay, the girl at the register shook her head and giggled.

"Nope, it's been taken care of," she said.

"You've got to be kidding me," I said, gaping at her. "Who would want to pay my lunch bill twice?"

"Maybe you have a secret admirer," she said.

I just nodded, in a daze, added my bill money to the money I put in the donation jar, and then headed back to the store.


	3. Save My Life

**Chapter 3 - Save My Life**

"You look weird," Maria said when I walked in the door.

"Gee, thanks." I rolled my eyes at her. "Someone paid my bill again today. I don't get it."

"Are you positive it wasn't the hot diner guy?"

"He left before I even got my check, it couldn't have been him."

"I don't know what to tell you then. Count your blessings?"

"I guess," I said, but I still felt uneasy about it.

The next afternoon I decided not to think about it. I was going to read my book, have my lunch, and hope that handsome diner guy would confess his undying love for me and whisk me off to his palace. Well, maybe not that last thing, but hopefully he would at least smile at me again.

I ended up with way more than a smile.

I was reading my book, and was at a very funny part, when I took a bite of my chicken. I barely bit into it when I read a passage that made me laugh, which isn't something you want to do with food in your mouth. The next thing I knew, the chicken was lodged in my airway, and I was unable to breathe.

I tried to just cough it up, but it wouldn't come out, and that's when panic set in. My arms flailed, and I started to slide out of the booth, hoping that someone would know the Heimlich maneuver, when someone pulled me out and held me against his body. Everyone watched, as the man positioned his hands on my abdomen and thrust upward. The first and second times didn't do a thing, but the third thrust saw that piece of chicken fly out of my mouth, and onto the booth bench where I had been sitting.

Applause erupted around us, while I gasped in lungfuls of air. The man who helped me held me against his chest and breathed with me, trying to help me set a rhythm. That was all well and good until I realized one of his hands was holding onto my boob. He must have realized it at the same time, because that hand quickly moved, so he was holding onto my shoulder instead.

"Are you okay?" he whispered in my ear, and without seeing him, I suddenly knew that this was handsome diner guy. Handsome diner guy had just saved my life and groped me.

Jesus.

"Water," I gasped, and he let go of me to grab the glass from my table. He handed it over and tenderly brushed a stray hair from my face as I gulped it down.

"Sookie, sugar, are you okay?" Holly asked as she ran up to me.

"I think she just needs a minute," handsome diner guy told her while still looking at me. "Will you please refill her water?"

"Sure, I'll be right back," she said and took off with my empty glass.

Handsome diner guy helped me back into my booth, and slid in on the other side.

"Thank you," I said, remembering my manners. "I'm Sookie Stackhouse."

He took my extended hand and shook it, smiling as he gave me his name.

"Eric Northman."

"Thank you, Eric. I think you just saved my life."

"I couldn't let someone as beautiful and kind as you choke to death because she read something funny. That would have been a tragedy."

"A comedic one," I smiled.

"But a tragedy, nonetheless," he insisted.

"And how do you know I'm kind?"

"So you won't argue the point of being beautiful?" he asked, with a curious eyebrow raise.

"No. That's your opinion, and I don't wish to begrudge you it. However, we've never spoken to each other, so I don't know how you could know that I'm kind."

He smiled at my answer, and then gave me one of his own.

"I saw you tip twenty dollars once," he said. "At first I thought it was a mistake, but then another day I saw it again. By the third time I figured you were either a generous tipper or, forgive me, a dumb blonde. But then I saw you reading Infinite Jest, and heard you asking Holly about her son and it clicked. You're both a smart and kind person."

"Well, thanks. I think. But never judge a person's intellect by the book they're reading. They could be faking it," I said, and then Holly came up with my water.

"Are you sure you're okay, hun? Do you want me to get you something else to eat?"

"I think I'll be fine. Would you mind terribly bringing me a bowl of whatever the soup of the day is? Just add it to my bill; I don't mind. I'm a bit freaked out by solid food right now."

"No problem at all sweetie, I'll be right back."

Once we were alone again, it hit me that the man I'd been crushing on just had me in his arms, pressed against his very hard, muscular body, and his hand had gotten a good feel of my right breast. Talk about embarrassing.

"I don't think I've ever been more thankful for that first aid class I took than I am right now," Eric said, smiling at me.

"I am too. Would you like to have lunch with me? I'd be happy to pay for yours. It's the least I can do."

"I would love to have lunch with you, but I will respectfully decline your offer to pay. I was only doing the right thing."

I blushed, and nodded.

"Let me just get my things," he said, and slid out of the booth. He picked up his drink, napkin, silverware, cell phone, and plate from his table, and put it on mine. Holly brought me the bowl of soup while Eric was gathering his things.

"So," he said once he sat back down. "What do you do, Sookie?"

"I own and operate the used bookstore about five blocks from here. Stackhouse Books?"

"Oh yes, I drive past there all the time. It's a great building. Do you enjoy your work?"

"Very much," I smiled. "We have a reading hour every Saturday. Parents bring their kids in and we'll read them a children's book. We give them each a copy to read through the week, then when they come back the next Saturday they each read a page out loud. Then they get to pick a prize out of a box for their accomplishment. I just love seeing their eyes light up when they realize they've done it."

By the time I finished talking I noticed that Eric was smiling at me.

"What?"

"Your whole face lit up when you talked about the children," he said.

"I love children, and I love seeing them fall in love with books. I wish more parents encouraged reading. It does wonders for the imagination."

"Do you have any kids?" he asked.

"No, but I definitely want them. Just have to find the guy who's willing to fall in love with me and make some," I laughed.

"Well you're gorgeous, so that shouldn't be too hard."

I blushed, and decided to start eating so I wouldn't have to respond to that. Eric chuckled and did the same.

"What do you do?" I asked him after we'd both taken a few bites.

"I'm a business owner," he said. "A couple of local bars and the like."

"And you wear a suit daily for that?"

"People take you seriously when you wear a suit. Just something my father told me."

"He sounds like a smart man," I said.

"He is."

We both ate a bit more, and then Holly came by with our checks. I finished up my food and asked her for a box for my earlier, uneaten lunch.

"You have to promise me you won't read while you're eating that later," Eric said, and I laughed.

"Oh I won't. I'm going to give it to the man that lives in the alley a couple blocks from here. He usually does fine getting himself meals, but I don't want it going to waste and I know he could use it."

"Are you some kind of former nun or something?"

I laughed. "What? No. I live a comfortable life. I see nothing wrong with helping those less fortunate."

"It's nice to meet someone so selfless."

"Do you only meet callous, selfish people?"

"For the most part, yes. I suppose I should have said it's nice to meet a _woman _who's so selfless."

_Ahh… _

"I see…"

"So many of the women I meet appear to be nice, but are actually awful on the inside. You, on the other hand … you seem as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside."

_Wow!_

"That may be the sweetest thing I've ever heard," I said.

He smiled at me, and I took a moment to really take it in. He smiled with his whole face. Even his eyes smiled.

"I really have to be getting back to work now," I said, noticing that it was already ten minutes later than I usually left.

"Oh, of course. Please let me pay for your meal," he said. "You shouldn't have to pay for food that nearly killed you."

I considered it for a moment, and then tried to imagine what Maria would do in this situation.

"Okay, but only if you agree to have lunch with me again tomorrow."

"Deal," he said instantly, and picked up my bill without another word.

I put my usual twenty down on the table for the tip, and Eric added his own tip to it, then we got up and headed up to the register. When he paid for my bill, the girl at the register made no move to tell him my bill had been taken care of.

"Is something wrong?" Eric asked.

"Oh no, not at all. The last couple of times I've been in here a stranger has paid my check, but didn't want to be identified. I was hoping to figure out who it was, but it seems they weren't here today."

"You're a lucky girl," he said.

"And these kiddos aren't so lucky," I said as I dropped money into the donation jar. "Every little bit helps, right?"

"Yes it does," he said, smiling at me. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes. I get here just after noon."

"Until then," he said, and then he picked up my hand and kissed the back of it, before strolling out the door like he hadn't just made me swoon.

"You're smitten," the girl behind the counter said with a giggle, and I blushed.

"Only a little," I said. "I'm so sorry, I don't think I know your name."

"Thalia," she smiled.

"Thalia. I'm Sookie," I said, and shook her hand. "I'll be seeing you tomorrow."


	4. Surprises

**Chapter Four - Surprises**

"You're late," Maria said when I walked in the door. "Everything okay?"

"I almost died at lunch, that's all," I said. "But hot diner guy, Eric, saved my life."

"What? How? What happened?"

She needed a minute to process after I explained everything, and then she was jumping up and down, squealing like a fifteen year old who just got her first kiss.

"I told you! It was fate!"

"Whatever you say, Maria…"

"Seriously. You read all the time while eating. Why would you find something hilarious enough to make you choke at that moment? So _he_ could save your life and meet you."

I shook my head and laughed. "I do love your optimism."

"And you're having lunch with him tomorrow! We have to pick out a great outfit," she said, ending with a gasp. "I'm coming over tonight to raid your closet and find you something hot."

"Ohhhh dear," I groaned, but I knew it would be worth it. Maria had impeccable style sense.

And she was right. I looked hot when I went to lunch the next day, and the day after, and the day after that. I was perfectly smitten with Eric, but he never asked me out. I wondered if he considered the lunches "dating," or if he just thought we were friends.

About three weeks later, Maria and I were setting up our reading night at the store. The kids were just starting to arrive and gather in the children's section when I saw someone walk in that I wasn't expecting. He looked as good as ever, dressed in a dark gray suit, the top couple of buttons undone, and no tie. There was one slight surprise though. He was holding the hand of a little blonde girl.

"Eric," I said, smiling at him despite the hundreds of questions I had swirling around in my brain. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"You said the reading hour was a hit with the kids, so I thought I'd bring Laura here in to check it out."

I looked down at the little girl, who couldn't have been more than seven or eight. She looked a bit apprehensive, but kept glancing at the gathering of kids behind me. I bent down to her eye level.

"Hi Laura, I'm Sookie," I said sweetly, hoping to calm any nerves she might have. "Do you like to read?"

She nodded, but didn't say anything.

"Then it's good you're here. We're going to read a book in about ten minutes, but the kids do puzzles and games before that. Would you like to join them?"

She nodded again, so I held my hand out to her. She took mine and let go of Eric's, then let me lead her to the other children. I introduced her to the group and another girl her age named Megan took to her immediately. I was forgotten as the girls took off holding hands.

Knowing I couldn't, and shouldn't, avoid the conversation, I turned around and went back to Eric, who was suddenly looking quite apprehensive himself.

"So you have a little girl," I said, trying not to sound too harsh.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about her. I know I should have. It's just that women are either afraid of it, or want to be that replacement, surrogate mother with me as a bonus. I've gotten to the point where I just don't know how to divulge it."

"Where's her mother?"

"She died a little over a year ago. She was my sister, and Laura's dad is a deadbeat who wanted nothing to do with her, so I got custody."

"I'm sorry that happened," I said, taking his hand in mine. "You still should have told me. I mean, I'm okay with it, but it would have been nice to know."

"I know. I'm sorry. I guess now would be a good time to tell you that Thalia is my half sister, right?" he asked, smiling sheepishly.

I didn't get the chance to respond, because Maria called me over so we could get started.

"Can we talk after?" I asked, and he nodded.

I made my way through the various parents and up to the little platform we had. Maria pulled me to the side immediately.

"Is that hot diner guy?"

"Yes."

"He has a kid? He didn't tell you he had a kid, did he?"

"She's his niece, who he has custody of, and no he didn't tell me. I think it'll be okay though. He has his reasons."

"Well, I know I don't have to tell you to be smart about it," she said. "Just don't get your heart broken."

"We're not even together, Maria."

"You've had lunch together six days a week for three weeks. You're together."

I rolled my eyes at her and laughed. "Come on, we've got kids' brains to stimulate."

The reading hour went great, and Laura even wanted to take a stab at reading a page, which she did wonderfully. By the time it was all over, she was hugging Megan and begging Eric to come back again.

"Did you have fun?" I asked her when I finally made it over to them.

"Yes," she said excitedly, bouncing on her heels. "Can I come back, Miss Sookie?"

"Of course you can!"

"Please Daddy? Can I?" she asked Eric.

"Yes," he said. "Now, why don't you go pick out a couple of books so Miss Sookie and I can talk?"

"Okay!" she squeaked before taking off for the kid's section again.

"Does she know you're not her dad?" I asked quietly.

"Sort of. She knew me as Uncle Eric, but after Pam died she just kind of slid right into calling me Dad. I'm okay with it since, for all intents and purposes, that's what I am. I'll have to explain it a bit more when she gets older."

I nodded. "And Thalia?"

"Yeah," he smiled sheepishly. "I didn't even know about her until about five years ago. Apparently my dad had an affair with her mom, or a one-night-stand, I don't really know, but he had been listed on the birth certificate. Her mom OD'd, so my father was contacted to see if he wanted custody. Thalia's mother didn't have any family, or close friends. Our dad is a jackass, and claimed he knew nothing about her, and that he'd raised his children already and wasn't about to raise another. He was ready to sign her over to the state until I stepped in. I wasn't about to see a blood relative turned away, so I asked him to give her to me."

"Wow."

"Yeah. It was hard at first. I'd never had to take care of anyone but myself, and she didn't know me. It took almost a year for her to finally trust me, and now we're very close. She's a smart girl."

"She's also very kind. You've done a great job being a parent, Eric."

"Thank you."

He smiled at me for a moment, then took a deep breath.

"So then, now that you know all this… will you go out on a proper date with me tomorrow night?"

"Under one condition," I said.

"Anything."

"You admit that you were my mystery bill payer at the diner."

His face said it all, and he knew he'd been caught.

"How did you figure it out?"

"I didn't know until you told me about Thalia. That must have made it easy. Plus she asked me about you a couple of times. Your sister is looking out for you."

"Yeah," he said, running his hand through his hair, and letting it rest on the back of his neck as he looked at me. "It was me. I hope you don't find it creepy."

"No, it was sweet."

"You know, Thalia likes you a lot. She kept pestering me to talk to you."

"And you didn't because?" I asked, teasing him.

"I'm a bit more shy than you might think," he admitted.

"We'll see about that tomorrow night. Where should I meet you?"

"I'd love to pick you up, if that's okay."

"That's fine. Let me write down my address for you."

As I was writing it down, Laura came running up with an armful of books. Eric laughed and knelt down in front of her.

"Sweetie, how many books did I say you could get?"

"But, Daddy," she started to protest, and Eric gave her a stern look. "A couple."

"And how many do you have there?"

"Ten," she said, hanging her head.

"You may pick three out of that pile, but you have to put the rest back."

She seemed to know better than to argue with him, so she did as he asked, and I took the rest from her to re-shelve.

"Sorry about that," Eric apologized.

"It's not a big deal. The children's books always need to be rearranged."

I rang up the books Laura chose, and then handed her the bag since kids liked to carry their own purchases; it made them feel grown up. She thanked me, and then they left. Maria and I cleaned up, and then we both headed home. I couldn't wait for my date with Eric.


	5. Picnic

**Chapter Five - Picnic**

The next day was a Sunday, and I went in to the store to do the re-shelving, and to unpack the new books that came in. We sold new and used books, encouraging people to recycle them by sharing them and then bringing them back to us so we could buy them back. I had recently been thinking of doing the same for games and movies, but I liked the idea of remaining about books. Though having a music section wouldn't be too bad.

I only worked for a couple of hours before I was done, so I headed home and made a salad for lunch, before I started getting ready. I loved my house. It was two stories, five bedrooms, three bathrooms, with a big, open floor plan. I liked the simplistic look. Lots of shelves, big, comfy couch, clean lines. It was very "me."

Eric sent me a text saying he'd be at my place by six, and he was right on time, too.

"You look beautiful," he said as he took in my appearance.

"So do you," I grinned.

He offered me his arm, and escorted me to his car, a very nice Lexus. I glanced in the back and noticed a picnic basket next to a booster seat.

"Are we having a picnic?" I asked.

"Yes, we are. I have the perfect spot for it too. That's okay, isn't it?" he asked nervously.

"It's wonderful. I haven't been on a picnic since I was a kid."

"Then we'll create new memories," he smiled.

Eric took me to a beautiful spot on a hill that overlooked the park. There was a large oak tree, and the grass was trimmed. He spread out a huge blanket and kicked off his shoes, then motioned for me to do the same.

We settled on the blanket facing each other, the basket between us. Eric opened it and began pulling out containers of food that I quickly realized was from the diner.

"I hope you don't mind. I figure that we eat diner food for lunch all the time, but we've never had dinner there. I also didn't know how to cook any picnic food."

"I don't mind at all. Did Lafayette cook?"

"Yes, he was more than happy to when I explained what it was for. You seem to have made quite an impression on him."

"Complimenting a cook that much will do that."

"If this night goes well then we'll both have to compliment him tomorrow," he said, his lips curling into a smile.

"I'm confident it will."

We watched the sunset as we ate. The timing couldn't have been more perfect, the sun finally disappearing as we finished dessert. I helped Eric pack the basket back up, then he surprised me by telling me to stay by the tree for a moment. He took the basket and blanket back to the car, and came back with a small, battery-operated radio.

"You told me that you like to dance," he said by way of explanation as he turned the radio on and set it on the ground. It had a CD player, and when he hit play the beautiful voice of Adele filled the air. I loved her music.

"Dance with me?" he asked, holding out his hand.

I happily accepted, and for the next half hour, we danced in the brightening moonlight. It was, hands down, the most romantic date I'd ever been on. Eric took me back to my house after that, and I invited him in for… coffee.

Kissing him was even better than I imagined it would be. He was soft, and sweet, yet still let just the right amount of heat through. His hands stayed in appropriate places, much to my dismay, so I leaned into him more, rubbed against him, let him know I was okay with it, and before long we were making out like teenagers on my couch.

It finally got to the point where I just flat out asked, "How soon do you have to be home?"

"I don't have to go home if you don't want me to," he said. "Thalia offered to get up with Laura in the morning, I just have to give her a call."

"Oh really? Everyone thought you might get lucky tonight, huh?" I teased him.

"I was hoping, and I'm pretty sure Thalia was too," he smiled. "You don't think it's too soon, do you?"

"Not at all. I haven't had sex in almost a year, and you and I have had a meal together five days a week for a couple of months now. That's more than most married couples."

"So then you're okay with it?"

"As long as you're not doing it with anyone else.'

"I'm not," he assured me, smiling.

"Then you better call Thalia," I said, and then got up from the couch. "I'll be upstairs, waiting."


	6. That's All

**Chapter Six - That's All**

I waited until I was out of his sight, then took off in a sprint to pick up anything embarrassing that might have been lying out. I had just finished straightening my bed when I heard Eric clear his throat behind me. I stood up straight, embarrassed that he caught me.

"No need to make the bed, doll. We're just going to mess it up again," he said, his voice deep and husky.

"We are, are we?" I asked. "And how is that going to happen?"

He strode over to me and pulled me down onto my bed. We laughed together, kissed, and picked up right were we had left off. Soon enough, I was unbuttoning Eric's shirt, then sliding it down his arms. He was as muscular as I'd thought. Not cut, but a bit bulky and defined. Perfect, really.

I removed his belt next, and unbuttoned his pants. He kicked them off, and they joined his discarded shirt on my floor. I sat up so he could pull my dress over my head. My bra hit the floor, then his boxers, and then I was enjoying the feel of his lips trailing kisses down my body.

He had just begun pulling my panties down, and I knew he saw it at the same time that he realized what it was. I sat up on my elbows, just as he pulled back a bit. There was a question in his eyes as he stared into mine, which were pleading for him not to ask, begging him to just wait until later. He understood, because after a moment, he kissed the slightly faded, shiny line across my abdomen, then continued his journey downward.

It took me a minute to get back into it after the sudden shock of memories that flooded me, but Eric was rather excellent at helping me along. It didn't take long for us to be in a frenzy of limbs, the room filled with sounds of pure pleasure. He was a wonderful lover, and the sexual chemistry between us was off the charts, and beyond anything I'd ever had with anyone else.

Much later, I was laying half on top of him, enjoying the feeling of his fingers tracing patterns over my back. That was when he decided to ask me the question I'd been dreading to hear.

"Will you tell me what happened?"

I took a deep breath and tried to steel myself. It was never an easy thing to talk about, and it never would be. I moved to sit up against the headboard, and Eric slid up to sit upright next to me.

"When I was nineteen, I got pregnant," I began, and Eric wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "We thought we were in love, and we were stupid. He wanted to take care of me, and we moved in together and everything. He worked with his father, and made good money, so I was able to stay at home during the pregnancy."

I paused as the memories of that day began playing in my mind. I tried not to think about it anymore.

"When I was thirty weeks along I was home alone during the day, and I just knew something was wrong. Preston… he had the truck, so I couldn't drive myself anywhere. I called him, and he told me he'd leave right away, but we lived out in the country. By the time he got there, I was convinced it was something really serious. I hadn't felt the baby move in a while. He rushed me to the hospital, but by the time they figured out what it was and performed the c-section, he was gone."

Hot tears were streaming down my face, and Eric reached over to my nightstand to grab my box of tissues. I wiped my eyes before I continued.

"They let us hold him for a while. He was so small, and so beautiful. He looked just like Preston. We named him Benjamin. A few days later we had a funeral. Preston… he couldn't take it. I went to a very dark place for a while, and that, on top of losing his son, was just too much for him. He left me a couple of months after the funeral, and I moved back in with my grandmother. She is the only person who got me through it."

Eric didn't say a word, he just held me a little tighter, and I was thankful. It was just what I needed. I knew he was there, supporting me, accepting me and my past, and I knew that he didn't pity me. I went on, deciding that I wanted to share more with him.

"I applied to colleges and studied literature. I got my life back in order, and slowly I became me again. Gran died a year after I graduated, and left me this house. She also left me a good chunk of money, most of which I used to buy the bookstore. I had my own investments and money that I used to buy property, which is why I'm able to give so much. I'm a very, very lucky girl."

"No, you're an amazing, strong woman, and I feel lucky to have had the good fortune to meet you."

I smiled, and rested my head on his shoulder. "So, what you're saying is, that you're really glad I choked and nearly died."

He laughed, and I heard and felt the rumble of it deep in his chest.

"I guess you could put it that way," he said. "Can I ask what ever happened to Preston?"

"He's still around here. We didn't talk to each other for a couple of years, but I knew he wasn't doing well. He'd taken to drinking often, and he wasn't taking care of himself. He was just so angry, and he blamed himself. And if I'm being honest, I really think he blamed me a bit too, but felt guilty for it. That's probably why he left."

"Do you talk now?"

"Yeah. He got some therapy, and stopped drinking. I send him a Christmas card every year, and we both go visit Ben's grave together on the day he was born. He's engaged now, to a really nice girl. We all get along just fine too."

"I'm glad it's turned out okay."

"Life did work out for both of us. He's happy now, with his fiancé, and I'm happy with my life, and my work. And now you."

"And now me," he said with a smile. "Where do you see you and I? Say… five years from now?"

"I think it's a bit too soon to lay something solid out there, but maybe I'll say that in five years, I _hope_ to be married, or at least in a committed relationship, living with that person, maybe with a child of my own."

Eric let out a long breath, and pinned me to the bed with a huge smile on his face.

"That is the first time that thoughts like that haven't scared the ever loving shit out of me. I don't think it's too soon to lay out something solid, so I'll say it. In five years, if you aren't my wife then I'm the biggest fool on the planet."

I smiled, and then I kissed him.

"I'll remember that in five years when you're hemming and hawing on the ring."

"Oh I already have a ring, my grandmother's," he grinned, then began kissing reverently down my neck, and along my collarbone.

"Then I'll have to tease you when you haven't put it on my finger yet."

My hands ran up the length of his back, and he hitched my leg up around his waist. He was ready again, and so was I.

"I don't think you understand," he smiled, reaching down to tease me with his fingers. "If I haven't asked you by then, hell, by a year from now, I'm probably dead. I'd be a complete idiot to let you get away, Sookie Stackhouse." With that, he positioned himself and pushed into me. "I love you."

I gasped, at the pleasure of his body, and his words.

"I love you," he whispered in my ear.

I reached up to hold his face in front of mine, so I could look him in the eyes. I could always tell when someone was lying, and I had to be sure.

"Say it again," I said.

"I love you," he smiled.

I couldn't say it back, not yet, but he seemed perfectly okay with that, and when I stretched up to kiss him, he began to move his hips. God, but he was perfect at that.

The next morning I woke to an empty bed, and the smell of bacon and coffee. Eric walked into the room a moment later with a tray full of food, wearing nothing but a smile.

"Breakfast is ready," he said as he climbed into bed next to me.

"You cooked bacon naked?" I asked.

"No, I wore your robe. I think it's on the stairs now." He dropped his voice to a stage whisper, "The pink was making me a little uncomfortable."

I laughed, long and hard, and when I finally stopped, I surprised myself by saying, "I love you, too."

Eric only smiled knowingly, and sipped his coffee.

"How?" I asked. "People don't say that after one date."

"It may take some couples months to say it, and for others it happens overnight. For us? We've known each other longer than one date. There were all those lunches. We did a lot of getting to know each other."

"We did," I agreed. "So what does this mean?"

"It means that I love the woman I'm dating, and she loves me back," he said. "That's all."

"That's all," I repeated, and smiled.

Sounded good to me.

XxENDxX

**Hope you all enjoyed :)**


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